Organic Chemistry I

Course Description

This subject deals primarily with the basic principles to understand the structure and reactivity of organic molecules. Emphasis is on substitution and elimination reactions and chemistry of the carbonyl group. The course also provides an introduction to the chemistry of aromatic compounds.

About Dr. Kimberly Berkowski, Prof. Sarah O´Connor

Kimberly L. Berkowski, Ph.D. prosecutes patent applications in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and polymer/material sciences. Her technical research and teaching background enable her to work seamlessly with scientists and lay persons alike to produce quality work and favorable results. She has extensive bench experience with the synthesis, characterization, and application of small molecules, polymers, peptides, and biomaterials. Dr. Berkowski also brings exceptional technical communication skills that she cultivated during her years of teaching in academia.

Note: Contents for this page are Licensed from http://ocw.mit.edu under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license.

Molecular Models

Several units in 5.12 will emphasize 3-dimensional aspects of organic
molecules. To help you visualize stereochemical concepts, we recommend
that you purchase the Darling "Molecular Visions" Molecular Model Kit.
You will be permitted to bring the model sets to the hour exams and the
final.

Recitations

Recitations will begin the second week of classes and meet twice per
week. You must attend your officially assigned section and turn in your
problem sets to your officially assigned TA. Only your officially
assigned TA will grade your problem sets and provide feedback with
respect to your final grade, which is extremely important for borderline
students.

Exams

Four one-hour exams, each worth 100 points, will take place on
Wednesdays throughout the term. The final exam is a three-hour,
cumulative exam that is worth 200 points. Help sessions will be held by
the TAs prior to each exam. Exams will be graded immediately after they
are completed and returned in your Thursday recitation section or in
class on Friday. If you require extra time for written exams because of a
disability, please secure a note as soon as possible. No make-up exams
will be given for missed hour exams, and all exams must be taken in the
assigned location. For an excused absence (as evidenced by a note from
the Medical Department, Counseling Services, or another acceptable
source) you may be either be required to take a conflict exam, or your
score on the missed exam may be assigned as the average of your scores
on the other three exams. Any other extenuating circumstances will be
dealt with in a manner according to MIT policy. Please notify a TA
immediately if you are currently or will be experiencing such a
situation.

Regrade Policy

Do not make any marks on the exam.

On a separate, hand-signed cover sheet stapled to the exam, list
your phone number and email address, state the problems that were
misgraded, and affirm that no changes to the exam were made after
grading.

Submit the regrade to your assigned TA by the following Tuesday.

Arithmetic errors in adding up points will be corrected immediately.
Any other regrade request will cause the entire exam to be regraded;
therefore, your overall score may increase or decrease.

Oral or late requests for regrading will not be accepted. Exams may
be photocopied to protect against alterations and fraudulent regrading
requests.

Problem Sets

Eight problem sets will be required throughout the semester. No late
work will be accepted. Written problem set keys will be posted on the
5.12 website immediately after the due date. The problem sets are
mandatory. They will be graded by your assigned TA on a √+, √, √- basis
and returned in your M/T recitation section. The assignments are
intended to guide your studying toward important concepts in 5.12 and to
help you prepare for exams. Thus, you will benefit the most from
working independently. In fact, you should aim to work alone on the
problem sets for at least four hours. If you feel that a discussion with
your colleagues would be helpful at the end of that time, you should
use a white board, chalkboard, or scrap paper and write up the answers
independently after the discussion.

Final Grades

The hour exam with the lowest score will be dropped. The remaining
three one-hour exams will count towards 65% of your final grade and the
final exam will count towards 35% of your final grade. Recitation
attendance and problem set performance will be used to determine the
grades for the broad group of students that teeter on the A/B, B/C, or
C/D border.

ACTIVITIES

PERCENTAGES

Hour Exams (3)

65%

Final Exam

35%

Study Tips

Because over 10 million organic compounds exist, memorizing the
structure, properties, and reactivity of all of them would be almost
impossible. Luckily, a few fundamental ideas underlie all organic
reactions. By understanding these themes and trends (not by memorizing them!), you should be able to rationalize unfamiliar reactions and mechanisms through analogy.

Understanding organic chemistry requires a regular program of active studying.
No substitution exists for using a pencil and paper to draw and redraw
structures, write reactions, and explore stereochemistry. Attend all the
lectures and recitation sessions. Read the suggested reading material
before each lecture and write down the main points. After each lecture,
summarize the major ideas and concepts in your notes within 24 hours of
the class. Supplement these notes with material learned by reading the
textbook. When you think you understand the material, do the suggested
problems. If you cannot complete the problems without referencing your
notes or the textbook, put them down and study the concepts again. Master the material from the previous lecture before going to the next one.
Finally, spend a few minutes each day in review. If you fail to do
this, you may find your review before an exam a major learning
experience and could become overwhelmed by what seems like an
unreasonable amount of material. You cannot cram for an organic exam!

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